Ghouls Next Door

Gabe and Kat
  • 4.9 (71)
  • FILM REVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Ghouls Next Door

Award-winning media literacy podcast from a horror lens. Gabe & Kat discuss real-life influences on our cinematic fears every Wednesday.

  1. Horror with Heart: From Shows the Power of Community in Crisis

    7H AGO

    Horror with Heart: From Shows the Power of Community in Crisis

    From brilliantly explores Rebecca Solnit's disaster utopia concept, showing how communities respond to catastrophes with solidarity rather than chaos. The Ghouls explore how the trapped townspeople build meaningful connections despite relentless threats. From creates a true disaster utopia, showing people cooperating across backgrounds and sharing resources in Colony House's socialist community. We also explore the psychological toll of perpetual danger, comparing adaptive vs. maladaptive coping mechanisms through characters like Jade, Sara, and Elgin, revealing why isolation leads to corruption while community offers survival. Plus: connections to current social movements and recent protest victories! Perfect for horror fans, social psychology enthusiasts, and anyone seeking hope in difficult times.

    1h 14m
  2. Ghouls Live 300th Celebration!

    APR 16

    Ghouls Live 300th Celebration!

    The Ghouls Next Door are going LIVE to celebrate 300 spine-tingling, thought-provoking, and downright ghoulish episodes of horror and media literacy! Join Gabe and Kat for a night of chills, thrills, and unforgettable moments as we look back on 300 episodes of turning fear into fierce conversations. Expect live Q&A, fun games, exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, and so much more!

    58 min
  3. Interview with the Vampire: A Bold Reimagining of Queerness, Race & Abuse

    MAR 5

    Interview with the Vampire: A Bold Reimagining of Queerness, Race & Abuse

    Let’s break down the beauty, horror, and heartbreak of Interview with the Vampire. AMC’s Interview with the Vampire is a haunting, gothic masterpiece that redefines Anne Rice’s classic story through the lens of race, queerness, and power. This deep dive explores the tragic, abusive relationship between Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt—one built on manipulation, control, and toxic love. This adaptation transforms Interview with the Vampire into a radical, hauntingly relevant story about survival, identity, and the devastating cost of love in a world built on power and control. 🔔 If you love horror analysis, media deep dives, and discussions on race, queerness, and power, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe!

    1h 3m
  4. Nosferatu (2024) Feminist Horror: Power, Possession & Repression

    FEB 19

    Nosferatu (2024) Feminist Horror: Power, Possession & Repression

    Is Nosferatu a cautionary tale about repression, or an empowering story of feminine defiance? Let’s dive into this gothic nightmare and uncover the terrifying truths behind the fiction. Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) is a chilling reflection of historical oppression, medical horror, and the fear of feminine autonomy. The film’s eerie atmosphere, psychological terror, and feminist themes connect directly to the real-life history of how women were controlled, misdiagnosed, and silenced in the 19th century. The Ghouls explore Nosferatu through both film analysis and historical context—examining how the gothic horror of Count Orlok reflects societal fears of independent women, medical oppression, and patriarchal control. From Ellen’s supernatural descent to the real-world horrors of hysteria diagnoses, forced medical treatments, and the suppression of female autonomy, Nosferatu becomes a terrifying metaphor for historical and systemic abuse.

    1h 7m
  5. The Power of Your Monster (2024): Feminine Rage and Confronting Emotional Neglect

    FEB 5

    The Power of Your Monster (2024): Feminine Rage and Confronting Emotional Neglect

    Ghouls break down the emotional depth and trauma explored in Your Monster (2024), highlighting themes of childhood neglect, feminine rage, and trauma responses like fawning. We dive into how Laura’s emotional repression—stemming from both physical and emotional neglect in childhood—shapes her adult life, relationships, and health. The film subtly explores how neglect, especially in Latine communities, goes beyond the physical and deeply affects emotional well-being, often manifesting as chronic illness. Laura's experiences reflect how people-pleasing and fawning behaviors become survival mechanisms when one's emotional needs are constantly dismissed. We also examine how societal structures like capitalism exacerbate childhood neglect, forcing parents into difficult situations where emotional care is neglected. Through Laura’s journey, Your Monster reveals the profound effects of generational trauma, microaggressions, and the systemic forces that limit the expression of emotional needs. In addition to the exploration of emotional neglect, the film gives voice to Latine anger, showcasing how Laura’s repressed rage becomes a form of empowerment and healing. This is a story about confronting the monsters inside, healing from trauma, and seeking self-empowerment in a world that often tells marginalized groups they don’t have permission to be angry.

    57 min
  6. From Grief to Gore: 'Lisa Frankenstein' Brings the Dead to Life

    JAN 22

    From Grief to Gore: 'Lisa Frankenstein' Brings the Dead to Life

    Lisa Frankenstein is a darkly comedic, neon-soaked horror film set in the late 80s, penned by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams. It explores Lisa’s journey from grief-stricken teen to self-assured misfit as she accidentally resurrects her Victorian crush and navigates a chaotic world filled with small-town gossip, body parts, and dark humor. Ghouls Next Door unpack this delightful mashup of camp, gore, and heart. Dive into our discussion about the film’s unique blend of comedy, grief, and 80s nostalgia, as well as how it stacks up against other iconic horror comedies like Heathers and Jennifer’s Body. Perfect for fans of unconventional storytelling, horror enthusiasts, and anyone who loves a quirky, heartfelt tale with a side of gore!

    1h 2m
  7. The Shape of Water and America Today: Monsters, Empathy, and Division

    JAN 8

    The Shape of Water and America Today: Monsters, Empathy, and Division

    Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water feels eerily relevant as we brace for a second Trump presidency. Set in a Cold War-era America steeped in paranoia, oppression, and cruelty, the film critiques the illusion of “greatness” that MAGA rhetoric glorifies. Through characters like Elisa, Giles, Zelda, and the Amphibian Man—people existing on society’s margins—it celebrates empathy, connection, and resistance against authoritarianism.

    56 min
  8. Alien: Romulus – Corporate Greed, Bodily Autonomy, and the Fight for Freedom

    12/26/2024

    Alien: Romulus – Corporate Greed, Bodily Autonomy, and the Fight for Freedom

    In Alien: Romulus, the latest chapter of the iconic franchise, themes of corporate greed, bodily autonomy, and systemic oppression take center stage. From Rain’s desperate fight for freedom to Andy’s struggle for personhood, we explore how the film critiques unchecked capitalism and its dehumanizing effects. With connections to real-world issues like exploitation, "othering," and post-Roe anxieties, the story challenges us to reflect on what truly makes someone human. Dive into our analysis of the movie’s gripping narrative, horrifying twists, and the questions it raises about identity, morality, and survival.

    56 min
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    4.9
    out of 5
    71 Ratings

    About

    Award-winning media literacy podcast from a horror lens. Gabe & Kat discuss real-life influences on our cinematic fears every Wednesday.

    Information

    • Creator
      Gabe and Kat
    • Years Active
      2017 - 2025
    • Episodes
      302
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © Gabe and Kat
    • Show Website
      Ghouls Next Door

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